THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENVY

When to Aerate Your Lawn

Aeration is a simple technique that can boost the health of your lawn. This technique involves taking thousands of tiny holes out of your lawn. The holes allow more moisture to pass through the root system, which results in a healthier, lush lawn. With fall approaching, now is the best time to aerate your lawn.

Why should I aerate?

You might be looking at your lawn thinking “it looks healthy enough, why do I need to aerate?” Aeration helps relieve soil compaction. If you drive vehicles over your lawn or have pets or children running around on your lawn, your soil is likely compacted. And if your soil is compacted, that means proper moisture can’t reach your lawn’s roots.

If you live in an area with clay soils, you’re much more likely to have compaction issues. Telltale signs your yard needs aeration are: it feels spongy, you notice a drainage issue or you have thick thatch.

When should I aerate?

It’s best to aerate your lawn when temperatures are cooler—in the fall or spring. You’ll want to do it at the start of the cooler season, so with October upon us, now is the time to get started. Fall aeration usually takes place when soil temperature reaches 55 degrees, and can help ensure your lawn is healthy for the following spring.

How does aeration work?

A core aerator machine pulls plugs of soil from your lawn, leaving behind thousands of tiny holes. These holes help air and water get to the root system to allow for optimal root growth. The removed soil plugs are absorbed by your lawn. You can perform core aeration yourself, or you can hire a lawn company. It’s important to note, though, that if you do aeration yourself, you should use a core aerator machine. Just using spikes to poke holes in your lawn can further compact the soil.

While you’re aerating, it’s a good time to put down some fertilizer. It will feed your grass through the winter and give you a lush, green spring lawn.

If you don’t have the time, or simply don’t want to aerate your lawn yourself, call a professional. We have the knowledge and skills to get you a healthy, beautiful lawn in no time.